There have been proposed and marketed to date a variety of previously-known types of tape cartridges in which tape is contained.
FIG. 5 shows a tape cartridge 5 that is an example of the previously-known types of tape cartridges in which the tape can be suitably wound by means of a tape winding machine, an embodiment of which will be disclosed hereinafter according to this invention. The tape cartridge 5 is constructed in such a way that a closed cartridge case 1 has a tape reel 2 rotatably disposed therein. The cartridge case 1 also has a leader block 4 detachably disposed in an opening 3 provided within a corner portion thereof. The tape cartridge 5 is initially empty when the tape is not wound therein. The tape cartridge 5, as shown in FIG. 6, is completed when the tape cartridge 5 has the tape wound upon the tape reel 2 and at the same time, an end 7 of the tape 6 is clamped within a concave recess 8 of the leader block 4 by means of a tape retainer 9. To withdraw the tape 6 from the completed tape cartridge 5, a pin is inserted into a hole 10 formed within a front part of the leader block 4 and also into a hole 11 having a diameter smaller than that of the hole 10 which is open at one end thereof, the pin being movable together with the leader block 4. To rewind the drawn-out tape into the tape reel 2, on the other hand, the tape reel 2 is rotated in the clockwise direction with an opening 12 provided on the cartridge case 1 for engagement with a rotary drive shaft of the apparatus, not shown.
The tape cartridge 5 described above has been manufactured in such a manner that the tape is wound on the tape reel 2, the tape reel 2 is contained within the cartridge case 1, the beginning of the tape is drawn out from the opening 3 of the cartridge case 1, and the tape is clamped to the leader block 4.
However, the previous tape cartridge manufacturing method mentioned above is disadvantageous in that it is not easy to handle the tape reel 2 having the tape wound thereon, and in addition, it is difficult to automate the manufacturing process.